Hollow door and fittings therefor.



F. E. A151110. P. HOWARD. `HOLLOW DGORjAND FITTINGS THEREFOR. APPLICATIN FILED MAY I4. 1915.

1,326,450. Patented Dee. 30,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. E. AND C. P. HOWARD.

HOLLOW DOOR AND FITTINGS THEREFOR.

APPLIcATmN FILED nlm/14, nels'.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Patented Deo. 30,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F. E. AND C. P. HOWARD.

HOLLOW DOOR AND FITTINGS THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED lum/14.1915.

F. E. AND C. P. HOWARD.

HOLLOW DOOR ANO FlTlNGs THEHEFOR.

y APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, I9I5. 1,326,450. Patente Dee. 30,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I,-.. --..IIIII Vlwwww-:

TMES Per."

FRANK E. HOV/'ARD AND CHARLES P. H'lf'lrll, 0F HARTFRD, CNNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO JAMES L. HDVJAR-D t COMPANY, GF EXAREFEB, UITNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

HOLLOV DOOR AND FITTNGS THEREFGB.

il $26,450. Specification f Letters Patent. iPatented Der. 3l), 1919.

Application filed lli-ay 1 4, 1915. Serial No. 28,65%.

To @ZZ fun/wm 1j may 00mm,- manufnctnre in different establishments,

Be it known that We, FRANK E. HOWARD and fiamme l). HOWARD, citizens of the llnited States, and residents of Hartford,

in the county of Hartford and Stute of Connecticut, have invented certain nen7 and useful Improvements in l'lolloiv Doors and Fittings Therefor, of Which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to in'iprovements in the instruction and combination of hollow doors, Windows and similar closure ele ments, and llittings therefor, and is herein shown as leing particularly adapted for one manufacturing the doors and another inainifacturing tee fittings therefor, with suitable provision, however, for the subsequent easy assembling, iirm'attaching, and correct functioning of the respective parts.

According to the present invention, these improvements nre overcome by constructing the door end the fittings as entirely separate units, each complete in itself es to its oWn construction, function and operation. rlloe door fittings are monnted in complete connected and Working condition upon the cere rior, which is suliiciently extended to carry steel door construction in which the doors, all of the desired parts correctly disposed at or ,at inst the stiles thereof, are of hollow their desired Working positions, extending inni-like form, made from sheet steel folded at the corners, sometimes combined with panels of single plate or sheet thickness, the various sheets or folds being riveted or Welded together. This boelike form of door shell or stile makes a firm, still?, lirenig structure, besides a'ording ample space. Within it for the various door fittings, sure. as hinges, latches, locks, or bolts employed for suspending, operating and fastening the door. The problem, however, lies been to utilize the inner cavities ofthe door shelhrfithout injurionsly cutting avny the door shell itself, for the introduction or removal of the iittings, and thus weakening the shell in the attempted utilization of its inner chambers or spaces.

nother problem solved by the present inif necessary the full length of the longest door stile.

The door shell is constructed with an opening in the end of the stile, of n size only sul'licient to receive the largest crosseection ofthe door fitting unit, which is to be inserted therein. The carrier, after being inserted lengthwise through its entering sperture in the door shell, requires only to loe supporte-Ll laterally by ineens of screws or similar fastenings, which ifiecessitate only fenT and smell apertures in the door shell, which thus retains plain, smooth exterior appearance, and its maximum of strength and stillness.

Figure l of the drawings an edge ele* ration, Fig. a partial side elevation, and Fig. 3 a partial plan vievv, showing the plein venti .n is that of suitably locating and conunmntilated exterior appearance of a. door neeting together for operation Within the provided with these improvements. Figs. door shell Ithe various parts of door fittings el and 5 are sectionnl elevations showing dewhich al f .vidcly separated in position, but tails of construction of the door and door eouneetml together for operation, such as fittings of which the exterior is shovvn in o the top end bottom locks or latches of the the previous figures, Fig. et being in section doors and their operating levers or lnmdles taken on the line lw-l of Fig. 5, While Fig. *which must or should be at an operating 5 is shown in section taken on the line 5-5 height or position convenient to the hond of Fig. Jf. Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly of the operator. in section showing the present invention llhn'eover, the manufacture of doors and applied to a finsh type of door fittings. Fig. of the iittings therefor, especially latch and 'i' is an edge elevation projected from Fig. lock Fittings, requires the employment of en- 6, and in section taken on the line 7-7 theretir-ely different t'ades, methods and mnof. Fig. 8 is a plan vieiv in section taken chinery, making it desirable to adept the on the line 8--8 of Fig. 6.

5G door and its fittings for entirely separa-tc Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in sec0 tion, and Fig. 10 a plan view projected from.l Fig. 6, also partly in section, showing another type of flush construction, and including a door pull and cushioned door edge. Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show a similar flush construction with a further modified form of the door fittings. Fig. 11 is an edge elevation in section taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 12 is a side elevation, partly in section taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a fragmentary edge view in section taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, latch mechanism is employed adapted to latch the door at the top, and is provided with handles which project from the side faces of the doors. All of the interior latch mechanism is mounted and articulated in complete working condition upon an extended flexible carrier, which is entered through an aperture in the top edge of the door shell, and extends longitudinally within the stile or shell of the door, adjacent to the frontedge of the door, being supported at suitable intervals in the length of the door by cornparatively fewl locating abutments in the shell, and simple fastening devices, which are here shown as ordinary screws extending through the door shell on one or both sides of the door and countersunk into the shell, flush with its surface.

The carrier is a flexible plate 5 provided with suitable studs, abutments, and guides for accommodating the various parts. The plate is riveted or otherwise attached at its upper end to a base or frame 6, having a mortise 'l' for guiding the upper end of the latch or bolt 8, and the flange 9 covers and closes the aperture in the door shell 1U through which the carrier and its mechanism is inserted lengthwise. At suitable intervals in the length of the carrier plate, wherever lateral stiness or ixity is needed, studs or bosses 12, 13 are provided on the door shell or carrier, or both, which locate the carrier and its mechanism in suitable lateral position, and against which the carrier is held by means of screws 14 inserted through one or both sides of the shell. To facilitate entering the carrier with its mechanism and guiding it to place past the abutments 12, or whatever reinforcements or other obstructions may be within the door shell, the leading end of the carrier is made with inclined faces on one or more sides. In the particular embodiment here shown, the leading end of the carrier is a tapering or wedge shaped pilot 15, which may be made integralwith the carrier, or as herein shown be made in a separate piece and attached to the carrier plate by means of rivets or screws 16. As here shown the pilot piece 15 is made to serve also as a distance spacing member, to locate the plate in sidewise position, being drawn against one of the abutinents 12 by the fastening screws 14.

T he particular forinof the internal latch mechanism here shown constitutes no part of the present invention and needs only brief description. The latch 8 may be beveled on one side to form a latch as here shown, or it may be square to form a dead bolt like that of Fig. 9. lThe bolt is fitted to slide through the mortise 7 in the frame (i, its lower end being guided between studs or posts 19, the ends of which are secured to a bridge piece 20 between which and the carrier plate 5 the bolt slides freely. The bolt is yieldingly pushed to its latching position by the spring 21 resting upon an abutment 22 secured to the carrier plate 5. Connection between the latch S and the operating levers 23 of the door is made by connecting rods 2li and 25 coupled to the opposite ends of a reversing lever 26 on the stud 27 secured to the carrier plate The upper cnd of the connecting rod 24E which may be integral with .or attached to the latch 8 is here shown as having a reverse l.. shaped head 2S engaging over a shoulder of the latch to allow the latter to be pushed down by its keeper in closing the door, without moving the connecting rods and their operating handles.

A spring 31 resting upon the abutment 32 also secured to the carrier plate 5, serves to hold the connecting rods 24 and 25 yieldingly in the position shown in Fig. 5, with the operating lever in its forward position against a pin 33 or any other suitable stop of the carrier plate 5.

The operating lever 23 is a bell-cranked member pivotally mounted upon the stud 3a secured to the carrier plate 5. The uppei end of the lever 23 isslotted, to receive aV connecting spindle 35, which projects from an operating handle 36 on the outer side of the door, and where two of these handles are employed, as here shown, the spindle 35 extends entirely through from one handle to the other, and connects them firmly together.

rlhe projecting operating handles 36 shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive are mounted on side plates 3S attached to the outer sides of the door shell 10. These side plates are preferably provided with posts 39 which project through apertures in the door shell or stile, and through or into corresponding apertures in the carrier plate 5, thus registering and doweling that portion of the carrier plate and its mechanism accurately and firmly in position within the shell or stile. The plates are clamped together on the opposite sides of the door by means of fastening screws Ll0 ,passing through the centers of the posts. These posts are togother, or spacing members are provided within the shell to space the sides ot the shell at a proper distance apart and prevent them from being buckled inwardly by the screws.

The handles 36 are shown to be pivotally mounted at. their lower ends upon studs or pivot pins 41 secured to or turning in the bosses 42.

By removing the fastening screws let and i-O and removing the side plates 38 with their handles and the spindle 35, the entire latch mechanism mounted upon the carrier plate 5 may be drawn endwise out of the door stile, and be replaced with ease and certainty in its working position by reversing these operations.

Figs. G to 13 inclusive illustrate iiush construct-ions which may be employed where the door must be pushed entirely back into a partition or casing, or where for any reason the projecting handles 36 of the previous {igurcs are not feasible or desirable. ln these constructions the interior mechanism of whatever nature, is mounted on a removable carrier plate substantially like that already described. To enable the door to be drawn out ot its casing a door pull is provided which is also mounted on the removable carrier. These figures also show the employment ot a cushion or buiier on the edge ot the door, to avoid injury to the clothing or person of passengers, or to keep out the weather. lt will be understood that any of these doors may be employed as single doors, closing against a jamb, or as double doors meeting at their edges.

ln the construction shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the interior latch mechanism is or may be like that ot the previous figures, mounted on a similar extended flexible carrier plate 51, The operating lever is, however, in this case, provided with two handles 52 and 53 disposed on opposite sides of the carrier plate 511 which in this case is preferably made central with the door stile at this operating point, being bent or ofiset to this central position it necessary. The operating lever handles 52 and 53 are pivotally mounted on the stud 5e secured to the carrier plate and these handles are connected together by the pin or stud 55 extending through the slot 56., which is elongated to allow of their swinging movement. rllhis slot is covered as best shown in Fig. 8 by side plates on opposite sides ot the door shell7 which side plates are deeply recessed at GO to allow room tor the fingers to enter from the side to operate the handles 52 and These side plates may as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 be provided with posts 6l passing into or through the carrier plate and iirmly supporting it laterally. The inturned flanges GQ of the side plates 56 and 57 may also bear against and support the carrier plate, being slotted at 63 to receive the upper ends ot the handles and and permit their swinging movement.

When desired, a lock of any well known form may be employed, the bolt of which n'iay be projected on either side of the upper end of the operating handles. lVhen locked behind the handles, as in Fig. 6, they cannot be retracted to withdraw the latch 65. The handles may thus be locked even while the door is in open position, since the latch, when loosely connected as in F ig. 5 will be depressed by its keeper and spring up again without moving the operating handles and TWhen the handles are locked in their drawn back position, the latch (35 will be held down, and will not engage with its keeper.

lVit-h these flush types ot construction, having no projecting handles, a door pull is 'frequently found desirable for lrawing Jthe door out ot' its casing or partition. @er improved door pull 7G is mounted on the removable carrier plate 7l, as best illustrated in Figs. 9 and l0. The neutral inoperative position of the pull is shown in Fig. 9 aud its drawn out position is like shown in Fig. 1Q. The door pull 70 is pivotally mounted upon a stud 72 Supported by the carrier plate FL one end oit the stud being carried by the plate itselin` and the other end being carried by a bridge piece 73 supported on the plate 7l by the pivot stud 7:?, and by two other studs 7l. The door pull is yieldingly held to its pivotal position and also at the intermediate portion oi its range ot swinging movement on the pivot by means ot a spring pressed device consisting` of a swinging plate 75 pivoted at 71 to the carrier plate and provided with an abutment 77, the ends ot which bear against the door pull 70 above and below the pivot stud 72. The abutments and the swinging plate are yieldingly held in this position by means of a suitable spring 78 seated against the turned down liange 79 ot the ybridge piece 73.

Thus the door pull is yieldingly held in the posit-ion shown in Fig. 9, projecting just far enough beyond the edge of the door or of the spring buffer 82 when such a butler is employed, to enable the pull to be grasped by the lingers and drawn out ol the position shown in Fig. l2, thus enabling' the fingers to take a better hold oi' the pull through the loop or eye 83 of the pull. The forward swinging movement of the pull is stopped by bearing against the inner side. ot' the door shell as at Se, while the door is being drawn out. As soon as the pull is released it is returned by its spring device to the position of Fig. 9. lli/*hen the door is closed against its jamb, or against a coperating double door, the spring device allows the upper end of the pull to be pushed backwardly flush with the edge of the door, to enable the door to close tightly.

rThe upper end of the pull is shaped and Y adapted to the form of door and to suit the presence or absence of a buier, being necessarily made longer when a buffer is einployed, as herein shown.

r Then the width ot the stile is sutiicient to enable the door pull to be 'olded back entirely within the stile, the door pull may be permanently pivoted to the carrier and thus be entered and removed from the stile with the carrier like the other parts. But where the door stile is narrow, or i'or any other reason it is necessary or desirable to remove the door pull from the carrier before removing the latter from the stile, the pivotal connection is made as here shown, open at one side. This permits the pull to be removed from the pivot pin, by drawing the pull outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 12, and then by means of the lingers or by means of an ordinary wrench engaging the projecting portion of the pull, pushing the swinging abutment Z7 back against the pressure of its spring 78 until the open side ot the pivot seat is treed from the pivot, after which the pull may be drawn out from the aperture 85 in the edge oi the door, and be similarly replaced.. To facilitate this replacement, the end of the pawl is preferably made tapering at S6. The carrier in this case is also provided with a tapering pilot Si', like that of the previous iigures.

The inner mechanism mounted upon the carrier 91, shown in Figs. 11 and 12, is a deadlocking mechanism in which the bolt 92 guided by suitable studs and abutments on the carrier 91 is operated by any suitable tumbler mechanism, mounted between the carrier `and the bridge piece 97, worked by a key through the key hole 93 or in any other well-known manner. No hand operated levers for this mechanism is shown; but side plates 94E having recessed sides 95 may be used as hand holes for closing and opening the door. These side plates may similarly 'be provided with posts, which as shown in Fig. 13 pass into or through the carrier and its associated mechanism to register and hold the carrier and its mechanism ready described in connection with the side plates shown in the previous iigures.

It will be understood that the combinations illustrated in the drawings are merely suggestive of' the various modifications which may be made, the parts being susceptible of combination in various machines for diiierent purposes.

ln assembling the latch or lock mechanism, it is only necessary to slide it with its carrier lengthwise through the stile from the top, and then put the fastening screws and side plates in position. Inasmuch as the latch mechanism is or may be completed, assembled and tested as to operation by thc lock maker, no readjustment of the'parts is usually necessary in connection with putting it in position on the door.

It will be understood that the mechanism which is here shown as being applied to the top of the door may by suitable disposal or reve sing of its parts be applied to the bottom of the door, or it may be applied in a horizontal position in any of the horizontal stiles of the door, as for example when einployed for locking a swinging door.

Vile claim as our invention:

1. The combination with a door having a hollow stile, ot' a carrier extending longitudinally within the stile from one end thereof to a convenient operating height, remote lrom the end of the stile, and latch mechanism, including a latch at the end of the stile, a lever at said convenient operating height, and connections between the lever and the latch, all mounted on the carrier in complete working condition, and removable therewith as a unitary structure.

2. Illhe combination, with a door having a hollow stile, ot a carrier extending longitudinally within the stile from one end thereof to a convenient operating height, remote from the end of the stile, and latch mechanism, including a latch at the end of the stile, a lever at the said convenient operating height, and connections between the lever and the latch, all mounted on the carrier in complete working condition, and removable therewith as a unitary structure, and an operating handle mounted on an outer side of the stile, and connecting with the operating lever through the wall of the stile.

3. The combination, with a door of the described hollow shell construction, of door iittings and a flexible carrier on which the fittings are mounted in completely articulated condition, the carrier extending into the door shell through an aperture in one face of the shell and closing the said aperture, the said carrier being provided with means for guiding the entering end of the carrier to its working position.

Ll. rThe combination, with a door of the described hollow shell construction, of a re-` movable leXible carrier, articulated door littings mounted in working position and condition upon the carrier, and extending within the door shell from one :tace thereof, fastening means for holding the carrier laterally in its working position between the inner walls of the door shell, the carrier being provided with a tapering pilot member for,

guiding the carrier to its working position when assembling it with the door shell.

5. The combination, with a door of the delli) scribed hollow shell construction, of a removable flexible plate, latch mechanism mounted and articulated for complete worln ing` movement on the plate, all extending within the door shell from one end thereof, locating members within the door shell for positioning the plate and its mechanism laterally within the shell, and fastening means extending through apertures in another face of the door for securing the plate against said locating members.

G. The combination, with a door of the described hollow shell construction, of a carrier plate, latch mechanism, including an operating lever therefor mounted in complete articulated working condition on the plate, all removably extending longitudinally within the door shell through an aperture in one face of said shell, an aperture in another face of the shell for giving access to the said lever, and fastening means extending through a face of the door shell and holding the carrier within the door shell in working position, with the said lever accessible through its said aperture in the shell.

7. The combination, with a door of the described hollow shell construction, a carrier plate, latch mechanism, including an operating` lever therefor mounted in complete articula-ted working condition 0n the plate, all removably extending longitudinally within the door shell through an aperture in one face of the said shell, an aperture in another face of the shell for giving access to the said operating lever, fastening means extending through a face of the door shell for holding the carrier plate within the door shell in working position with the said lever, accessible through its said aperture in the shell, and a frame for said aperture provided with posts extending through relatively small apertures in the door shell and into the said carrier plate.

8. The combination, with a door of the described hollow shell construction, of a carrier plate, latch mechanism, including an operating lever therefor, mounted in complete articulated working condition on the plate, all removably extending longitudinally within the door shell through an aperture in one face of the said shell, an apen ture in another face of the shell for giving access to the said operating lever, fastening lmeans extending through a face of the door shell for holding the carrier plate within the door shell in. working position with the said lever in operating relation to its said aperture in the shell, and a frame for said aperture provided with posts extending through relatively' small apertures in the door shell, and through the said carrier, said posts being shouldered to locate the adjacent portion of the flexible carrier plate laterally :Tnet-Ween the inner walls of the door shellT 9. The combination, with a door having a hollow stile, of a carrier extending longitudinally within the stile through an aperture in the end of the stile, door nttings mounted in articulated working condition upon theV carrier, and fastening means for the carrier extending through a side wall of the stile.

l0. The combination with a door having a hollow stile, of latch mechanism, a carrier upon which the said mechanism is mounted in working condition, all removably extending' longitudinally within the stile through an aperture in the end thereof, and a side plate having lugs projecting into the stile to locate and support the carrier and its mechanism in working position.

1l. The combination, with a door having a hollow stile, of latching mechanism, a carrier upon which the said mechanism is mounted in working condition, all removably extending longitudinally within the stile through an aperture in the end thereof, and side plates secured to the outer sides of the shell, and having' lugs projecting inwardly to the carrier to center and support the carrier in working position.

l2. The combination, with a door having a hollow stile, of a door pull extending within the stile through an aperture, in the edge thereof, and mounted for swinging movement upon a pivot pin within the door stile, and means yieldingly holding the pull to an intermediate position in the range of its swinging movement, including a spring pressed device engaging the door pull at different sides of its pivot pin.

13. The combination, with a door having a hollow stile, of a door pull extending within the stile through an aperture in the edge thereof, and detachably mounted for swinging movement upon a pivot pin within the door stile, and means yieldingly holding the pull to an intermediate position in the range of its swinging movement, and also preventing it from being detached in its working operations, including a spring pressed device engaging the door pull at dif-` ferent sides of its pivotal support.

14. The combination, with a door having a hollow stile, of a door pull extending with` in the door stile through an aperture in the edge thereof and mounted for swinging movement by means of a pivot pin engaging with an open sided seat, and a spring pressed device yieldingly holding the pivot and seat together whereby the pull may be detached from its pivotal connection against the pressure of the spring device and withdrawn through the said aperture.

l5. The combination, with a hollow shell door, of a removable carrier extending within the door shell through an aperture in the shell, door fittings mounted on the carrier including a door pull extending through anably mounted for swinging movement on Y the carrier, and a spring pressed device also mounted on the carrier and yieldingly engaging the door pull to prevent it from becoming detached during its Working movements.

16. The combination, With a door having a hollow stile, of a removable carrier eX- tending Within the door stile through an aperture thereof, and a door pull extending through another aperture in the stile, and detachably mounted Within the stile upon the carrier by means of an open sided 15 pivot joint, and a Spring device including an arm pivotally mounted upon the carrier, and bearing against the door pull at dierent sides of its pivotal connection,l yieldingly holding it at an intermediate portion of its 20 FRANK E. HOWARD. CHARLES P. HOVARD.

Hartford7 Conn., this 13th day 

